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In the early church, one who devoted himself to a solitary and contemplative life, characterized by devotion, extreme self-denial, and self-mortification; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices extreme rigor and self-denial in religious things. I am far from commending those ascetics that take up their quarters…

The first day of Lent; -- so called from a custom in the Roman Catholic church of putting ashes, on that day, upon the foreheads of penitents.

To publish in church for marriage; -- said of both the banns and the persons. Fuller.

The brush used in the Roman Catholic church for sprinkling holy water on the people. [Also written aspergillus.]

The stoup, basin, or other vessel for holy water in Roman Catholic churches.

One who, or that which, assails, attacks, or assaults; an assailer. An assailant of the church. Macaulay.

ts; one who avers pr maintains; an assertor. The inflexible asserter of the rights of the church. Milman.

lutionary government of France (1790-1796), and based on the security of the lands of the church and of nobles which had been appropriated by the state.

imilate more readily than others. I am a foreign material, and cannot assimilate with the church of England. J. H. Newman.

sts, a society, consisting of a number of ministers, generally the pastors of neighboring churches, united for promoting the interests of religion and the harmony of the churches. Association of ideas (Physiol.), the combination or connection of states of mind or their objects with one another, as the result of which o…

The taking of a person up into heaven. Hence: (Rom. Cath. & Greek Churches)

ter, and from which they could not be forcibly taken without sacrilege. So sacred was the church to some, that it had the right of an asylum or sanctuary. Ayliffe.

or gallery around three or more sides; especially at the entrance of a basilica or other church. The name was extended in the Middle Ages to the open churchyard or cemetery.

To be present at; as, to attend church, school, a concert, a business meeting.

n waiting; service; ministry; the fact of being present; presence. Constant attendance at church three times a day. Fielding.

A hearer; especially a catechumen in the early church. [Obs.] Shelton.

The part of a church, theater, or other public building, assigned to the audience.

e principles of the Protestants, and their reasons for separating from the Roman Catholic church.

A member of the conservative party in the Church of Scotland in the latter part of the 18th century.

e Bible published in 1611 under sanction of King James I. It was "appointed to be read in churches," and has been the accepted English Bible. The Revised Version was published in a complete form in 1855.